Steam-trap.



H. D. SINGER an H. v. D. PRATT. 'STEAM TRAP.

I APPLICATION FILED JANSJ, 1909.- 930,699, Patented. Aug. 10, 1909.

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HAROLB i3. SINGER-AND 1'HCWVARD "V. D. vPRA'I"l.`,''Oi` ,KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HAROLD D. SiN-Gum a subject of the King of Great Britaiinand HOWARD V. D. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kankakee, inthe county .of Kankakee and State lof Illinois, have invented a vnew and useful Improvement in Steam-Traps., of which the following is a specification. i

steam traps. of the general type vwherein water of condensation forms two y.columns exerting pressure., respectively, against opposite sides yof avalve-controlling diaphragm device., to actuate the device and permit wat-er to escape when through the accumulation of water of condensation one column overbalances the other.. Appliances ofthis type are useful in various connections, and are applied with great benefit to steam-heating systems in buildings.

`Our object is to provide a differential steam-trap, .of the classdefined, of-.a generally improved, simple, compact and durable construction, rendering it peculiarly sensitive and positive in operation. y

In :carrying out 4our invention we employ a casing adapted to be readily interposed, forl example, in the drainage pipe of a household steam-heating system `and capable of being placed flatwise against or close to a wall to be out of the way. The 'casing contains two outer chambers separated from an inner chamber by a pair of cooperating flexible diaphragms. direct communication with the drainagepipe above, while the inner Vcham-ber communicates with an overflowy pipe of the drainage-pipe located preferably within the latter. At the base of the inner chamber is an outlet-valve having a stem under thev infiuence -of a weight which bears in the direction of opening said val-ve. interposed between the 4cooperating diaphragms and ythe said valve-stem is lever mechanism, preferably Vof the toggle type, which under but slight movement of the diaphragme-V effects relatively great movement of the valve. Inother words, preponderance of water pressure in the inner chamber against the diaphragms, producing but slight outward movement of the latter, effects quick and comparatively wide opening of the 'outletvalve, while a preponderance of water pressure in the outer chamber against the .diaphragms effectsqnick closing ofsaid valve.v

"Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 9, 1909.

larged broken section V9 through it as indicated,

The outer chambers are in threaded opening central vchamber 17.

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Referring .to the :accompanying .drawing- Figure 1 is a partly vbroken verticalsection of a steam-trap constructed with our improvements in onelpreferre'd form; Fig. 2, :an entaken on line 2 in Fig. 1; Fig,V 3 an enlarged .fragmentary section taken on line V3 in Fig. 1 .and Fig. 4, avview of the same .character as Fig. 1 but showing a modified construction. Our invention relates to improvement in The main body portion of the trap is circular in form, having a disk-shaped back wall 5 .and Van annular rim-portion 6. rihe rimportion presents an inner annular seatingface 7 fitted with a spacer-ring 8. The ring 8 is cast or otherwise formed with openings more especially to save weight, and has as an integral part thereof a horizontally extending cross-bar portion 10 much narrower. in cross-section than the outer face of the ring. At its center i thecross-bar is formed with a cup-portion 1 1,

as indicated. Fastened by screws 12, or otherwise, against the open side of the body portion 5 is a disk or cap 13 forming the front wall of the casing. Clamped between the ring 8 and the annular shoulder 14 near the wall 5 is a disk-shaped flexible diaphragm 15; and `a similar diaphragm 16 is clamped between the cap 13 and the ring S. The diaphragms thus divide the interior of the casing into three vertical chambers, the inner chamber 17 being surrounded by the ring 8` and the outer vchambers 18, 19 being water-tight.

At the top of the rim of the casing is an internally threaded boss 20 from which extend passages 21 to the chambers 18, 1Q; and threaded into said boss is the lower end of a pipe' 22 upon the upper end ofv which is screwed a coupling forming a chamber 23.

The device is secured by means of the said coupling to the lower end of the steam drainage-pipe (not shown) of, say, a household steam-heating system. Extending through the rim at the center of the boss 20 is a from which rises an overflow tube .24 extending centrally within the ipe 22 and terminating at the chamber 23 'wliere it is fitted with a perforated cap 25.

The tube 24 thus communicates with the At the under side of the rim of the casing is a boss 26 having a lower threaded opening 27, at which it may be jointed to an outlet pipe (not shown) and a threaded opening 28 fitted with -a removablescrew-plug 29. At the lower side of the chamber 17 and communicating with the interior of the boss 26 is a threaded opening in which is fastened a short tube 30.flared at its lower end to form a valve-seat 31. On the inner wall of the tube 30 are lugs 32 for convenience in inserting or removing said tube when desired.

Passing through a guide-opening in the cup-portion 1.1 of the bar 10 is a valve-stein 33 formed at its lower end into a hook from which is suspended a bell-valve 34 at the seat 31. Fastened to the stein above the bar 10 is a collar 35 and above the collar the stein passes loosely through an elongated plate 36 of rectangular form, and concave on its under side in the direction of its length. Confined between the said plate and a nut 37 at the top of the stem is a coiled spring 3S.

39 is a weight, or lever, pivotally connected by means of a link 40 with a bearingear 41 on the spacer-ring. This swinging weight bears at its center upon the top ofthe stem 33.

42, 42 are opposite, flexible standard-portions of a toggle-lever device and are wide and flat at their upper parts, below which they are bifurcated to form the narrow spring legs 43. The legs extend downward into openings of the spacer-ring and are held in place by pins 44 passing through them and the walls of the ring. Beneath the pins 44 corresponding` legs 43 are bent toward each other to form the abutting feet 45, which by abutting, hold the standards against ap- The 'p arts preaching at their lower ends. 42 bear against the inner faces of the diaphragms 15, 16, and hinged to the upper ends thereof are toggle-leaves 46 hinged together centrally between the diaphragn'is. The leaves 46 are cut away to allow for the passage of the stem 33 and collar 35 as indicated. The stem 33, weighted by the lever 39 as described, rests upon the spring 38, which in turn rests upon the plate 36, which in its turn rests upon the upper hinged ljoint of the toggle.

In practice, as water of condensation de scends through the steam drainage pipe mentioned it flows into the chamber 23 and thence through the pipe 22 and passages 21 into the chambers 18 and 19 to fill the same. The water pressure thus exerted against the diaphragms 15, 16 presses them in the di.-

rection of the chamber 17 and causes them t0 squeeze the toggle mechanism, thereby extending the toggle-leaves and raising the weighted stem 33 and valve 34 to seat the latter. This closing of the valve will prevent any steam descending into the chamber 1.7 from escaping. As the water of condensation accumulates and the column thereof rises in the pipe 22 to the chamber 23, it overflows through the perforated cap 25 and pipe 24 into the chamber 17. The parts may e so constructed and arranged that when I boss or chamber 26 and the overflow water fills the chamber 17, or nearly fills it, or accumulates sufficiently to rise more or less in the pipe 24, the pressure of said water in the chamber 17 against the diaphragms, supplemented by the weight of the valve 34, stom 33 and lever 39, will overcome the pressure against the diaphragms from the chambers 1S, 19 and press the diaphragnis in the direction of the said outer chambers, permitting the toggle-leaves to descend and the valve 34 to open and cause part of the trapped water to escape. l t will be readily understood that but slight movement of the diaphragms and standards 42 will cause eon'iparatively great fall and rise of the upper ends of the toggle-leaves and consequently wide opening and quick closing of the valve.

Opening at its upper end into the chamber 23 and at its lower end inte the chamber 17 is a water-gage 47, whereby the height of the overflowing water column in the tube 24 is shown. Extending through the casing in the position shown is an adjusting screw "18 which may be turned against the lever 39 to press it down and maintain the valve 3-1- open when, for example, it is desired to blow steam through the chamber 17 to clean it out.

In the modification shown in Vig. 4, the

side of the hollow the valve on the stem 33 seats in the downward direction. To accommodate this construction the tra? gie-mechanism, though formed as in the preferred construction, is upside down and a weighted lever 49 constructed as shoun operates to raise the stem 33 in the direction away from the valve-seat. in this construetion the plate 36 rests upon a pin. 5U passing through the stem, and the spring 33 of the preferred construction is dispensed with. rlhe valve 51 shown is also in the present case a piece se )arate from the stem. and is formed with a slotted extension 52 which fits against the side of the stem and is fastened in place by a screw 53 tapped into the stem. rThe short arm of the weighted lever 49 bears against a cellar 54 pinned to the upper-end portion of the stein. In the operation of the modified construction, preponderance of water pressure in the inner chamber 17 tends to spread the diaphragms as in the preferred construction and permit the valve to be opened by the weight 49,' while preponderance of water pressure in the outer chambers squeezes the toggle and presses the valve to its seat.

With two diaphragms coperating against a valve opening and closing lever-device, suoli as a toggle, the diaphragms need move but slightly, as before explained, to open the valve wide and produce quick closing of the latter. In the event that one of the outer chambers becomes clogged in a manner te valve-seat is at the lower prevent proper movement of one of the diaphragms, the other diaphragm may still act to open and close the valve. The construction of the weighted lever 39 permits it, by swinging upon the link 40, to rise and fall vertically without danger of binding against the top of the stem. All themoving parts are constructed to work easily and the construction renders them particularly strong and durable. The valve is easily accessible through the plugged openingZS for the purose ci' cleaning iter its seat when desired., and all the moving arts may be readily removed and replaced) on the removal ofthe cap 13. The device may be interposed between lengths of a steam drainage pipe, connected with the top of the chamber 23 Vand the opening 27, and the steam-drainage pipe is they only support required.

As the device is ilat-sided and shallow, it may be placed against or close to a wall and thus out of the way.

While we prefer to construct our improvements throughout as shown and described, they be variously modified in the matter of details of construction without depart-` ing from the spirit oi our invention as defined by the claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a steam-trap, the combination of a casing with means for connecting it to a steam-pipe, cooperating diaphragms separating the interior of the casing into an inner and two outer chambers, the said outer chambers being in direct communication with the steam-pipe, a steam-pipe overilow tube communicating with the inner chamber, an outlet valve for the inner chamber, and valveoperating lever-mechanism in the inner chamber actuated by the movement oiisaid diaphragme.

2. ln a steam-trap, the combination of a casing 'with means for connectingl it to a steam-pipe, cooperating diaphragme separating the interior of the casing into an inner and two outer chambers, the .said outer chambers being in direct communication with the steam-pipe, a steam-pipe overiiow tube communicating with the inner chamber, an outlet valve for the inner chamber, and valve-operating toggle-lever mechanism in the inner chamber actuated by the movement of said diaphragme.

3. In a steam-trap, the combination of a casing with means for connecting it to a steam-pipe, cooperating diaphragms separating the interior of the casing into an inner and two outer chambers, the said outer chambers being in direct communication with the steam-pipe, a steam-pipe overflow tube communicating with the inner chamber, an outlet valve for the inner chamber, a weighted stem for the valve tending norrmally to hold said valve open, and valveclosing lever-mechanism in the inner chamber actu ated by movement of said diaphragms under preponderance of water pressure 1n the y outer chambers.

li. In a steam-trap, the combination of a casing with means for connecting it to a steam-pipe, cooperating diaphragms separating the interior of the casing into an inner and two outer chambers, the said outer chambers being in direct communication with the steam-pipe, a steam-pipe overflowtube communicating with the inner chamber, an outlet valve for the inner chamber, a weighted stem for the valve tending normally to hold said valve open, and valveclosing toggle -lever mechanism bearing against said diaphragms, in the inner chamber, and engaging said stem and actuated by movement of said diaphragms, under preponderance of water pressure in the outer chambers, to close said valve.

5. In a steam-trap, the combination of a casing with means for connecting it to a steam-pipe, cooperating diaphragms separating the interior of the casing into an inner and two outer chambers, the said outer chambers being in direct communication with the steam-pipe, a steam-pipe overiiowtube communicating with the inner chamber, an outlet valve, for the inner chamber, having a stem, a swinging weight in the inner chamber bearing against the stem and tending normally to hold said valve open, means extending through the shell and adjustable against the weight to hold the valve open, and valve-closing lever-mechanism, bearing against said diaphragms, in said inner chamber, and engaging said stem, and actuated, by movement of said diaphragms under preponderance ol water pressure in the outer chambers, to close said valve.

HAROLD D. SINGER. HOWARD V. D. PRATT.

In presence of:

Louis BAUER, CHARLES E. BARKLEY. 

